When do I need to carry a passport? Basically for all foreign travel, with a few caveats. Since 2009, the United States has required Americans to carry a passport or an accepted alternative when traveling to Bermuda, Mexico, Canada and 17 Caribbean nations. U.S. territories are exempt, as are cruises that begin and end in U.S. ports.

Children younger than 16 traveling to the above destinations by land or sea can still use their U.S. birth certificate or another proof of citizenship to reenter the States. Also, U.S. passport cards valid for sea and land crossings are acceptable for travelers of all ages. For application info, go to travel.state.gov/passport.

How much advance time do I need to apply for a passport? It can never be too soon. If your passport is nearing its expiration date, renew as soon as possible because some countries require passports to be valid for six months after a traveler's entry or return date.

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InsideFlyer was created by travelers, for travelers. Here you can discover and share your experiences related to travel and frequent flyer programs with business travelers, leisure travelers, infrequent flyers and road warriors alike.

InsideFlyer is a privately funded venture based in Colorado Springs, CO (affectionally—the House of Miles). We’re a small diverse group of experienced frequent flyer experts, travel community builders, technologists, and friends of the flyer who want to help you learn to be an expert traveler. We believe that learning about frequent flyer miles should be as fun as travel itself.